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“If we are going to change Washington and save America, the tea party movement must hold every politician who supports higher taxes and even higher spending accountable – regardless of their political party. If that means we have to defeat some of these big-government politicians in primaries, so be it,” said Jenny Beth Martin, national coordinator of Tea Party Patriots, in a statement.

The group’s announcement comes after veteran GOP strategist Karl Rove and his American Crossroads group announced a spinoff organization Conservative Victory Project that will back candidates based on electability.

GOP leaders — including Rove — have charged that tea party activists have cost the party at least five Senate seats in the last two cycles by backing candidates in party primaries that were unelectable.

Tea party and conservative activists have countered that rising stars like Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) were anti-establishment, insurgent candidates who are now seen as the future of the conservative movement.